Age of consent by country
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to sexual acts and is thus the minimum age of a person with whom another person is legally permitted to engage in sexual activity. The distinguishing aspect of the age of consent laws is that the person below the minimum age is regarded as the victim, and their sex partner is regarded as the offender, unless both are underage.
Definitions
- Restricted by age difference: younger partner is deemed able to consent to having sex with an older one as long as their age difference does not exceed a specified amount. This column shows the younger partner's age of consent under these rules, not the age difference.
- Restricted by authority: younger partner is deemed able to consent to having sex with any older partner, so long as said older partner is not in a legally recognised position of trust or authority, which the latter is abusing over the former.
- Unrestricted: age from which one is deemed able to consent to having sex with anyone else at or above the age of consent or the marriageable age if they must be married.
The data below reflects what each jurisdiction's legislation actually means, rather than what it states on the surface.
By country
Column headings explained (hover for details): "By age": Restricted by age difference. "By authority": Restricted by authority between partners. "Unrestricted": No restrictions after this age.
| Countries and states | Region | Must be married | By age | By authority | Unrestricted | Ref. | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hetero | Homo | Hetero | Homo | Hetero | Homo | ||||||||||
| M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | M | F | ||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 14 | [1][2][3] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | 13 | 16 | 18 | [4][5] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [6][7][8] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [9][10] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [11][8] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [12][13][14][15] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | 13 | 14 | 16 | [16] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 14 | [17] | ||||||||||
| North America | No | 12-15 | 16 | 18 | [18][19][20] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | 13 | — | 16 | [21][22] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [23][24] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [25][26][8] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [27] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [28] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 18 | [29][8] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [30][31][32] | ||||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [33][34] | |||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [35] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [36] | |||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [37][38] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | 13 | 18 | [39] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | 14 | 16 | 18 | [40][41][42] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 16 | [43] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [44] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | 13 | 14 | 18 | [45][46][47] | ||||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | 15 | 13 | 18 | 15 | [48][49][50][51][52] | ||||||||
| Asia | No | 14 | 15 | 18 | [53][54] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | — | [55] | |||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 14 | [56][57] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | 12 | — | 16 | [58][59] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [60][8] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | 16 | — | 18 | — | [61][62] | ||||||||
| Asia | No | — | 16 | 18 | [63] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | 14 | — | 16 | |||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | 16 | 18 | [64][65][66][67] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [68][69] | |||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | 21 | 16 | [70][71][72][73][74][75] | ||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [76][8] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | 14 | 18 | [77] | ||||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [78][79] | |||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 17 | [80][81][82][83][84] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [85][8] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [86][8] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [87][88][89] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [90] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | [91][92] | |||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | 16 | — | [93] | ||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 15 | 18 | [94][95][8] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | 14 | 18 | [96][97][98][99] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | 14 | 16 | 18 | [100][8] | ||||||||||
| Oceania | No | — | — | 16 | [101][102] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [103] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | — | [104] | |||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | 17 | 15 | — | [105][106] | ||||||||
| Africa | No | — | 14 | 16 | [107] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | 12 | 14 | 18 | [108] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [109][110] | ||||||||||
| Africa | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [111][112][113] | |||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 14 | [114] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 15 | [115] | ||||||||||
| Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | [116] | ||||||||||
| Africa | Yes | — | — | 13 | 12 | — | [117] | ||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [118] | |||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [119] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [120] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [121][122] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [123][124] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [125] | ||||||||||
| Insular America | No | — | — | 18 | [126] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | — | 16 | [127][128][129] | ||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [130] | |||||||||
| Central America | No | — | — | 18 | [131] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | 12 | 15 | 18 | [132] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | 12 | — | 15 | [133] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [134] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 14 | [135] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [136][137] | |||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [138] | ||||||||||
| Central America | No | — | 15 | 18 | [139] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 15 | [140] | ||||||||||
| Central America | No | — | 14 | 18 | [141] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [142][143][8] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [144] | |||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [145] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [146][147] | |||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [148][8] | ||||||||||
| Africa | Yes | — | — | 18 | 16 | — | [149] | ||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [150] | ||||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | — | [151][152][153][154][155][156] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [157] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [158] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 15 | — | 18 | |||||||||
| Asia | No | — | 16 (married) | 21 (unmarried) | [159][160] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | 14 | — | 18 | [161][162][163][164][165] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | 21 | — | ||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [166][167] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 14 | 16 | [168] | |||||||||
| Insular America | No | — | 12 | 18 | [169][170] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [171][172] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [173] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [174][8] | ||||||||||
| Central America | No | — | 15 | 18 | [175][176] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 17 | [177][178] | ||||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | Puberty | — | [179] | |||||||||
| Central America | No | — | 14–17 | 18 | [180] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [181] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [182][8] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | 15 | — | — | 18 | 21 | [183] | ||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 15 | [184] | ||||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | 16 | — | [185][186] | |||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [187] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | 14 | 15 | 18 | [188][189][8] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 15 | [190][191][192][193][194] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [195] | ||||||||||
| Oceania | No | 12 | 14 | — | — | 16 | 17 | — | [196] | ||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [197] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [198] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | [199] | |||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | [200] | |||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [201] | |||||||||
| Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | [202] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [203] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [204][8] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | — | [205] | |||||||||
| Africa | No | 15 | — | — | 18|— | [206] | |||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [207] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [208] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 15|— | [209] | ||||||||||
| Central America | No | — | 16 | 18 | [210] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 15 | [211][212] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 16 | 18 | [213][8] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [214][215][216] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [217] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 14 | 21 | [218] | |||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [219][220][221][222] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [223] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [224] | ||||||||||
| Insular America | No | — | — | 15 | [225] | ||||||||||
| Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | 18 | [226] | |||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 13 | 21 | [227] | |||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [217] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [69] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [228] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 16 | [229] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 15 | [230] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 15 | [231] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | 12 | 14 | 18 | [232] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [233] | ||||||||||
| Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | [234] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 16 | [235] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [236] | |||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 14 | [237] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [238] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [239][8] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 15 | [240] | ||||||||||
| Oceania | No | — | — | 16 | |||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [241] | |||||||||
| Insular America | No | — | — | 16 | [242] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [243] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [244][8] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 15 | [245] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 16 | [246][247][248] | ||||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [249][250] | |||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 15 | [251] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [252][253][254] | |||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [255] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [256] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | 14 | — | 16 | [257] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | 14 | 18 | [258][259][8] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | [260] | ||||||||||
| Central America | No | — | — | 16 | [261][262] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | 15 | — | — | 18 | — | [263][236] | ||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 15 | [264] | ||||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 16 | [265] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 18 | — | [266][267] | |||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 16 | [268] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | [269] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 16 | 18 | [270] | |||||||||
| Oceania | No | — | — | 16 | [271] | ||||||||||
| Oceania | No | — | 15 | 18 | [272][273] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 15 | — | [274] | |||||||||
| South America | No | — | — | 16 | — | [275][276] | |||||||||
| Africa | No | — | 14 | — | 16 | [277] | |||||||||
| Oceania | No | — | — | 15 | 18 | — | [278] | ||||||||
| Oceania | No | — | 15 | 18 | [279] | ||||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 15 | — | [280] | |||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 16 | [281] | ||||||||||
| Europe | No | — | — | 18 | [282][283][284] | ||||||||||
| Asia | Yes | — | — | 18 | — | [285] | |||||||||
| Asia | No | — | — | 18 | [286] | ||||||||||
| Africa | No | — | — | 13 | [287] | ||||||||||
Governed by state or province
Australia
| State/territory | By age | By authority | Unrestricted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 16 | 18 | [289][290] | |
| 14 | 16 | 17 | [291][292][293] | |
| — | 16 | 18 | [294] | |
| — | — | 16 | [295] | |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | [296][297] | |
| 12 | 17 | 18 | [298][299] | |
| 12 | 16 | 18 | [300][301][302][303] | |
| 13 | 16 | 18 | [304] |
Mexico
| Area | By age | By authority | Unrestricted | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | — | 16 | 120 118 | |
| 14 | — | 18 | 177, 182 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 286 290 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 162 164 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 235 239 | |
| 14 | — | 18 | 172 177 | |
| 12 | — | 16 | 229 235 | |
| 14 | — | 18 | 146 148 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 181 bis 180 | |
| 14 | — | 18 | 177 181 | |
| 12 | — | 16 | 181 185 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 179 187 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 180, 185 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 142-L, 142-M | |
| 15 | — | 18 | 273 271 | |
| 12 | — | 16 | 240 170 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 154 159 | |
| Puberty | — | 18 | 289, 291 | |
| 14 | — | 18 | 267 262 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 247, 243 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 272 Archived 12 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine 264, 265 Archived 12 December 2019 at the Wayback Machine | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 161 167 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 127 130 | |
| 12 | — | 16 | 173 179 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 180 184 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 219 215 | |
| 12 | — | 17 | 150 153 | |
| 12 | — | 18 | 275 270 | |
| 14 | — | 18 | 289 291 | |
| 14 | — | 16 | 190 Quater 189 | |
| 13 | — | 16 | 315 311 | |
| 13 | — | 18 | 237.1 237.4 |
United States
See also
- Age of consent
- Age-of-consent reform
- Youth
- Legal age
- Legal drinking age
- Age of majority
- Age of reason (canon law)
- Age of criminal responsibility
- Mature minor doctrine
- Emancipation of minors
- Fitness to plead, law of England and Wales
- Minors and abortion
- Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Child sexual abuse
- Sex-positive movement
- Age disparity in sexual relationships
- Comprehensive sex education
- Adult film industry regulations
- Sodomy law
- The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon